1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to cable clamp strips and, more particularly, to cable clamping rings and cable retaining rings on a common flexible mounting base which is attachable to a work surface for routing secured cables and wherein the clamping rings are adjustable in position and size for securing cables of varying diameters at predetermined locations.
2. Description of the Background Art
It has long been the practice to join together a large number of electrical wires along their lengths into a single continuous cable. In use, the cable is wrapped, laced, clamped, or otherwise secured at various intervals along its length by devices extending peripherally around the wires. When preselected wires are routed to or diverted from the cable, it is necessary to secure the cable with different securing devices to accommodate the different diameters of the cable. Since the cable and securing devices are usually held against some supporting surface through mounting brackets, it is also generally necessary to remove the securing devices from the mounting brackets in order to accommodate such different diameter cable.
While progress has been made in improving the efficiency and convenience of cable securing devices, most users still experience difficulty in securing together wires of cables and in routing such secured cables along predetermined paths, particularly when the cables vary in diameter along their lengths.
Various approaches are disclosed in the literature to improve the securement and routing of cable wires. By way of example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,082,984, to Larsson, et al teaches a wire bundling clamp formed of nylon, resilient plastic, or metal. The longitudinally extending strip is provided with holes for attachment to a base plate by means of screws or rivets. Encircling fingers form a channel in which the wires are retained. Larsson also teaches opposed spaced fingers as well as alternating fingers in which the wire may be inserted in a zig-zag fashion. Beman, in U.S. Pat. No. 2,684,512, teaches a form of clamping or retaining ring in which a lacing line or wire is used to retain a wiring harness within the flexible clamping fingers. Both opposed and alternating fingers are taught in U.S. Pat. No. 4,609,171, Matsui shows wire bundle clamps with resilient plastic curved members and various forms of latching means to allow the wires to be clamped within the ring or released for repair and replacement. U.S. Pat. No. 2,707,608 to Bunn shows a ring shaped retainer which is locked into position, clamping a tubular object therewithin, by means of holes through the pivoting retaining rings and a threaded fastener. In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 3,321,571 to Lynch and 3,571,863 to Logan show other flexible holders for enveloping wire bundles.
Although many such advances are noteworthy to one extent or another, none achieves the objective of an efficient, convenient to employ, inexpensive cable clamp device designed to accommodate the specific needs of the specific cable configuration. An optimum device would be something new which combines the benefits of the prior approaches without their shortcomings, i.e., a cable clamp strip which provides for securing cables of varying diameters, which accommodates the branching of cables along the lengths of the cable branches, is convenient to secure and to detach from the cables, which which is easy to route and reroute on a supporting surface, and which is economical to manufacture and utilize.
As illustrated by the great number of prior patents as well as commercial devices, efforts are continuously being made in an attempt to improve cable clamp strips to render them more efficient, easy to employ and inexpensive. None of these previous efforts, however, provides the benefits attendant with the present invention. Additionally, prior cable clamp strips do not suggest the present inventive combination of component elements arranged and configured as disclosed and claimed herein. The present invention achieves its intended purposes, objects and advantages over the prior art devices through a new, useful and unobvious combination of component elements, with the use of a minimum number of functioning parts, at a reasonable cost to manufacture, and by employing only readily available materials.
Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved cable clamp strip for securing together wires of a cable bundle in a predetermined orientation and for routing such secured wires in a predetermined path, the cable clamp strip comprising a mounting base formed of a flexible plastic with notches formed therein for increased flexibility and with apertured mounting projections extending upwardly from the upper surface of the mounting base and with clamping ring halves adjustably secured with respect to the mounting projections for adjustment of the size and position of the mounting ring halves with respect to the mounting base.
It is another object of this invention to releasably secure cables of varying diameters along their lengths by clamping rings of adjustable position and size.
It is a further object of the invention to route cable clamp strips and supported cables in a predetermined or variable path.
The foregoing has outlined some of the more pertinent objects of the invention. These objects should be construed to be merely illustrative of some of the more prominent features and applications of the intended invention. Many other beneficial results can be attained by applying the disclosed invention in a different manner or by modifying the invention within the scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, other objects and a fuller understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the summary of the invention and the detailed description of the preferred embodiment in addition to the scope of the invention defined by the claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.